- Head teacher Rajendra Dawadi of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot received four warnings at 09:10 local time (03:25 GMT) about the disaster, which has claimed at least 794 lives.
- A parent's urgent warning convinced Dawadi to act immediately: "A parent came and told me that 'a big flood was coming, I am here to take my daughter, I will take her'." He reasoned, "Parents don't rush without a strong reason, so it was confirmed that I shouldn't waste a second to evacuate the children."
- Dawadi evacuated 900 children minutes before the flood hit.
- The floods, which occurred on Wednesday and left at least 2,426 people missing, buried the school building under mud and debris. A hostel about 100m (328ft) from the river was engulfed immediately.
- After the evacuation, students and teachers moved uphill to a neighbouring village, but with roads cut off, many remained stranded for two nights before rescue efforts reached them.
- Pupil Yunisha Amatya, 16, said she and her friends survived by just 10 seconds, escaping through a narrow ladder behind the school as the bazaar was swept away.
- Yunisha's mother, Sabina Kumari Shrestha, was terrified when she couldn't reach her daughter, but was relieved when they finally connected: "Finally, my daughter received my call and I couldn't stop myself, broke out... two relatives that were with me also cried and hugged me."
- Head teacher Dawadi said better warning systems, including sirens and evacuation alerts, could have helped residents respond sooner, adding: "Had I decided to close the school after the period, nothing might be left, only the bell would be ringing at 9:30."
Rajendra Dawadi, head teacher of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot, received urgent warnings about an impending flash flood at 09:10 local time.1
"If we didn't make a quick decision, if it was 10 minutes later, we all - including the students and me - wouldn't be able to speak to you today," he stated.
Dawadi evacuated 900 children just before the floodwaters struck, which have now claimed at least 794 lives and left 2,426 people missing.456
A parent alerted him to the danger, prompting immediate action.
"Parents don't rush without a strong reason, so it was confirmed that I shouldn't waste a second to evacuate the children," Dawadi explained.
Pupil Yunisha Amatya, 16, recounted her narrow escape: "I along with my friends survived by just 10 seconds only," she said, describing how they scrambled to safety just before the flood hit.91011
The floodwaters engulfed a hostel building just 100 meters from the river, burying the school under mud and debris.
Students and teachers initially moved to higher ground before reaching a neighboring village, but many were stranded for two nights due to disrupted transport.
"Had I decided to close the school after the period, nothing might be left, only the bell would be ringing at 9:30," Dawadi reflected, emphasizing the need for better warning systems to prevent future tragedies.
“Dawadi credited a parent's urgent warning for the quick decision, saying 'Parents don't rush without a strong reason.' The flood left 2,426 people missing and buried the school under mud, with a hostel 100m away engulfed immediately.”
BBC
